Futures Tour tees off 2011 season in Winter Haven

Tuesday

DAYTONA BEACH - The LPGA Futures Tour will begin its 2011 season in Winter Haven with the Florida's Natural Charity Classic, March 21-27, at the Lake Region Yacht and Country Club.

The Tour announced its 2011 tournament schedule on Monday. The 31st season of the Tour will feature 16 tournaments in 13 states, including two new events in Michigan and Georgia, plus a return to Mexico.

The Island Resort & Casino's Sweetgrass Golf Club, located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in Harris, Mich., will play host to the Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass from June 24-26. This marks the first time the Tour has competed in the Upper Peninsula and the Tour's first return to Michigan since 2005.

Women's professional golf returns to Georgia after a two-year hiatus for the LPGA Futures Tour's inaugural Vidalia Championship, set for August 26-28, at Hawk's Point Golf Club in Vidalia.

“We are very pleased to add two marquee tournaments to our 2011 tournament schedule,” said Zayra F. Calderon, CEO of the LPGA Futures Tour. ‘‘The 2010 season was one of the most competitive and compelling years in the history of the LPGA Futures Tour and I am confident next year will be even more exciting for not only our players, but also for our fans and sponsors.”

Players from Polk County competing on the Futures Tour are George Jenkins graduates Dolores White and Heather Burgner.

The 2011 season will kick off in March with two events in Florida. Following the Winter Haven tournament that has a $100,000 purse, the Tour heads east to the Daytona Beach Invitational in Daytona Beach a week later.

Following back-to-back Florida tournaments, the tour heads south of the border for the second Riviera Nayarit Challenge in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Following the event in Mexico, the Tour will travel to the Lone Star State for the Symetra Classic in San Antonio.

The Tour's Midwest swing includes the Kansas City Championship in Kansas City, Kan., the Ladies Titan Tire Challenge in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and The Teva Championship in Mason, Ohio.

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